Roster

About

Dambisa Moyo

Global Economist

Bestselling Author

Bio

Dr. Dambisa Moyo, whose talk for TED Global garnered more than 1.7 million views, is a sought-after thought leader and economist. Dr. Moyo holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in economics from Oxford University, a master’s degree from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Master of Business Administration degree from American University. A Barclays Bank, Chevron, Barrick Gold and Seagate Technology board member, she is a frequent CNBC and Bloomberg contributor, and also writes for the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal. Dr. Moyo brings academic heft and dynamic practical skill to today’s economic conversation. She is the author of three New York Times bestsellers: Winner Take All: China’s Race for Resources and What It Means for the World; How the West Was Lost: Fifty Years of Economic Folly and the Stark Choices Ahead; and Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa. Dr. Moyo, a leader and influencer, is a key participant in the world’s most prestigious economic conferences such as Bilderberg, Davos and the annual U.S. Federal Reserve Jackson Hole conference.

In unrelated news, Dambisa is an enthusiastic runner and has run several marathons and half-marathons.

TOPICS

Global Shifts in Economics, Politics & Business: What’s It Going to Take to Be Successful?

The defining challenge of our time is determining how to create solid and sustained economic growth and continue to meaningfully put a dent in poverty across the world. In essence, how do we restore robust growth in the Eurozone, the United States and around the industrialized economies creaking under mounting debt, challenging demographics and stagnating productivity? And how do we boost growth in the developing world—home to 90 percent of the world’s population and where, on average, 70 percent of the population is less than 25 years old—as a period of unprecedented economic expansion begins to slow in some places and regress in others? Dambisa Moyo will address the structural and tactical implications of global macroeconomic trends and why this time is different.

China and the Race for Global Resources

As the population in China advances economically, the Chinese government has made a strategic and concerted effort to secure natural resources that can be used in its domestic industries. These moves have consequences for the global community, in part because international conflicts over resources commonly turn violent. Increasingly, China wields market power and sets global commodity prices. Dambisa Moyo will explain the three-pronged strategy that forms China’s systematic and deliberate campaign for global resources in the context of decreasing demand and falling commodity prices. China’s aggressive approach places her in a unique position, particularly across the world’s emerging economies, and has far-reaching implications for economic growth and trade in the future.

Age of Technology: A Tale of Innovation, Opportunities and Risk

At a time of rapid technological advancements and innovation, the risks and opportunities are immense, and the responses from corporations and public policy are crucial to economic growth. On the one hand, technological shifts hold promise to transform livelihoods by enhancing the efficiency and ease of information transfer, connectivity and communication. Yet, there remain legitimate concerns on the net effects of technological advances—particularly in respect to whether and how automation will disrupt and erode (low skilled) jobs—the hallmark of emerging markets. For every gadget that enables us to process data and information faster and more cheaply, there is a burgeoning social and public policy challenge of rising unemployment that has dire consequences for growth and could engender significant costs for society by reducing employment. Technological advances present a rapidly growing social and public policy challenge for every country, across all sectors.

The Future of 21st Century Corporations: A Broader Mandate

In recent years, businesses have been called upon to take a broader, more self-enlightened role in the global economy—beyond just making widgets and profits. Whether it’s through a triple bottom line lens or corporate social responsibility initiatives, modern companies are expected to take on broader responsibility for the economic and social well-being of the communities in which they operate. Clients, host governments, customers and investors are increasingly demanding a broader rationale for companies to exist. As these practices and norms continue to emerge, it is crucial for companies to adequately examine and address some of the challenges for companies operating across political systems in a transnational business environment. Individuals need to be aware of the potential impact their decisions may have on corporations and clients in the future. The level of social responsibility for the business community will continue to become even more intertwined with the viability of a corporation as businesses face new regulatory frameworks, technological shifts and growing competition.